Braving freezing temperatures, Harford Community College student Eric Schmidt stood in the center of campus Thursday, holding a handmade sign that advertised a unique service for his fellow students ? free hugs.
Some students smiled as they walked by Schmidt. Others avoided eye contact and continued on their way. Yet others stopped on their way to or from class and took Schmidt up on his offer.
“I hug him every day,” said Taney Earl, 18, of Havre de Grace. “When you?re having a crappy day, it helps put a smile on your face.”
“It?s nice to get a hug, and it doesn?t matter if it?s from a guy,” said Madison Mitchell, 18, also of Havre de Grace
“I?m protesting apathy, and I?m advocating empathy,” Schmidt, an 18-year-old HCC freshman, explained.
A resident of Belcamp who aspires to study journalism or business, Schmidt said he hopes giving away free hugs will change the way people on campus interact with each other, though his primary motive is to help people feel better.
“I think a hug is sometimes confirmation that things will be OK,” he said.
Adapting the idea of giving away hugs from an international movement that began in Australia, Schmidt and a handful of his friends ? known as the “Hugs Brigade” ? began giving away hugs to HCC?s student body in December.
“As long as he holds up his sign and does not approach people and lets them come to him, there is not a problem,” said HCC spokeswoman Nancy Dysard of Schmidt?s activities. Dysard said when Schmidt began doling out hugs, there was concern he was soliciting others to hug him. But after Schmidt sat down with college leaders, the school approved his sign.
Schmidt acknowledges response to the hugshas been mixed.
“I had one girl come up to me and say, ?Just because they?re free, doesn?t mean I want one.? ” Schmidt said male students often ask if he does it to get phone numbers.
“Another girl came up to me and said that at first she thought I was crazy, but after a while her opinion changed. She ended up giving me a hug,” he said.
A fellow member of the Hugs Brigade, Bryan Clarke, 18, of Bel Air, said, “I just wanted to do it ? because it looked like a good way to make people smile.”
